Crio’s racing: Early tips for Doomben

Someone’s going to have to provide “colour” for the Brissie Carnival. Remarkably, I’ve never made it to the races in Queensland, an omission that always strikes me at this time of the year as the “Winter Carnival” hits top gear with the running of the time-honoured Doomben 10,000.
This is a “good horse’s race”, won so often by crowd favs…Bernborough, Black Onyx, Maybe Mahal, Manikato…most recently Takeover Target, Apache Cat (x2) and Hot Danish. Nowadays it is raced at WFA over 1350m around what punters tell me can be a tricky track for back markers.

Many of these acceptors then progress to the other jewel in the northern crown, The Stradbroke, a handicap and raced in a fortnight at Eagle Farm. Likewise, many of the other races at Doomben this Saturday could be viewed as trials for future glories. Not surprisingly some of the fields do taper off a bit as, on the back of Adelaide, it is hard to keep finding enough good horses for all of the events but, nevertheless, it looks a really interesting day for punters willing to shade BR on to their tote cards.
Here are some early (Wednesday!) observations. Feel free to embellish or refute!
Their Quaddie kicks off with the Grand Prix Stakes (BR6, 3yo, set weights, 2200m, G3), a Derby prelude. Peter Moody presents three of the prominent hopes (2,3,5) which makes it especially tough. 1 and 14 look the best of the rest.
The Premier’s Cup (BR6, 2200m, G3) is the Brisbane Cup – now 2400m, G2, 9 June – pathway, making it especially difficult to decide which just “need the run”. Dance With Her (4) is flying, winning the Warrnambool Cup and then the Listed Centaurea at Morphettville in its last two outings. She goes in for sure. Add 6, 18 and anything else that takes your fancy!
Boom filly, Sea Siren (16), may well overtake local star Buffering (4) as the punters’ elect in the main race (BR7, WFA, 1350m, G1) on the back of some dazzling form under The Pumper’s persuasion. Tim Martin’s colt, Pampelonne (12) is the other main fancy after he has steamrolled through Rosehill, Gosford and Scone in recent weeks. As usual there are plenty of chances in this excellent race.
For those needing to take the doom out of Doomben, the last (BR8, 1100m, Listed), named after former local hero Chief De Beers, looks scarily straightforward. Back gun hoop James McDonald on Rob Heathcote’s Excellantes (5) and save on Lucky Larry Cassidy’s mount, Havatryst (8).
One final aside before I move on from Brisbane…BR3, No14. Caliente. Jumped off the page at me. Others raised in Adelaide will remember this as the name of the dual (72/73) Port Cup winner (by Natural Bid out of Rose of Kempton). More broadly, the name recalls the Agua Caliente Handicap in Mexico which became Phar Lap’s final race.
Racing here in Melbourne is at Caulfield – a track which has played very consistently recently. Last week’s Flemington meeting was clouded by the nasty fall of Katelyn Mallyon and, at the same part of the track, the unfortunate demise of two racehorses. It has led to some criticisms of the track and, by inference, the Manager, Mick Goodie. He has been supported by the Club and also by parts of the media which appreciate his accessibility, but there are rumblings of discontent down at HQ. From my post on the bag at The Heath I’ll be looking for plenty of advice.

The first notches on my multi card are for 1,6,10/ 1,2,4/ 3,4,5/ 1,4,6,7. Keep an eye on all of Froggy’s mounts as he pushes for a first Melbourne’s Jockeys’ Premiership. And keep me in the loop via this site.
Good luck!

Not sure I’ll be able to find time for any form mate. Looking for leads. At the worst, we’ll scour this week’s runners for Straddy Day specials.
We’ve had no rain here yet and Caulfield is pretty resilient. Unfortunately the fields are only fair.

I should have mentioned that it is Casterton Cup Day on Sunday – a meeting I’d love to attend one day. They still jump the live hedges down there.

Casterton is a great meet if you can stand the cold. Every time Ive been there its a three jumper or coat job but its a great course for viewing
Mind you any racecourse in winter isnt always inviting
Rain stopped in “sunny SA” but weve had buckets

Yeah, Budge, I might have gone a smidge early with the “Caulfield can cope” call…check the radar over Melbourne – and maybe tune in to R1 at Geelong as it looks awful down there (but they race on synthetic).
Are we going to punt on a Slow tmrw?

OK some “form” done. ABSOLUTELY is the one to get on (Doomben Race 6, No 2. Class horse though not what you would call a prolific strike rate (1 win AJC Oaks – heavy track). Still ran OK last start in Doncaster and most of her opponents couldn’t spell it (they are horses after all). Anyways (no more beers for me) she wins.
Gut feel for BEADED in the main race.
happy punting!

Another patented late response to Crio’s racing …again with my hobnobbing international update.

So You Think resumes tonight (11:35) at the Curragh in the Group 1 Tattersalls gold Cup, a race he also won last year. Only five in the field. I think O’Brien still has a pacemaker in there for him too. Did he ever watch vision of those Cox Plates he won? He’s long odds on. He’ll move on to the Prince of Wales Stakes on day 2 of Royal Ascot next, can hopefully go one better than last year.

The feature race tonight at the Curragh is the 2000 Guineas for the fillies.

Not long after SYT’s race tonight, over the ditch at Longchamp is the group 1 Prix D´Ispahan (ooh-la-la). Odds-on pop Cirrus Des Aigles beat home So You Think on Champions day at Ascot in October last year, and won the Sheema Classic on Dubai World Cup night. Handy animal also gearing for Royal Ascot.

Thanks for the tip-off DD.
I see that So You Think had an easy win at 2/11. British critics rightly see him as good but far from proven at the top level.
Cirrus Des Aigles went over, beaten by Golden Lilac. Cirrus is a fascinating story…not especially well bred and, as a gelding, ineligible for races like the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe.

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